If I had to choose, I’d probably
choose the Wahsatch Steeplechase as my favorite race. Boston has the cheering crowds. St. George is fast and friendly. But the Wahsatch Steeplechase is fun, fun,
fun. I wish I could talk some
of you into running it. This race is not
just for faster runners. There are
plenty of 4, 5, 6, and even 7 hour finishers (the cut off is 6 hours). “Bueller?...
Bueller?... Bueller?” “Class? Anyone?
Anyone? Anyone?…”
There
was still too much snow to run the course, so for the second time in some 30
years an alternate was used. Not to
fear, the alternate, while not as adventuresome as the original, was still great
with 14 miles and 7,200 feet (elevation gain + loss) of beautiful views and fun
trails. We ran an out and back/loop from
Memory Grove up to Dude Peak on the northwest side of City Creek Canyon. The final mile or so to and from Dude Peak is
plagued with loose marble to softball sized rocks, making for some careful,
attentive running. Luckily I only rolled
each ankle once, on the way up, and not very badly. The course included a steep decent back into
City Creek Canyon with a drop of >1,100 feet in about a mile.
Last
year a friend beat me by less than a minute, the year before I beat him by 7 minutes.
This year could have been a rematch but he
ran with his 11 year old son! This coupled
with the alternate course took the pressure off. This means less recovery time before I can get
back to training for St. George.
While
my finish time was not spectacular, my finish sort of was. With about a mile to go I was having a
conversation with someone who was passing me.
We decided it was too late in the race to be at conversation pace, so he
picked up the pace and I tried to follow. We started picking off runners, while he
eventually left me behind. As I neared
the finish I had one more guy in my sights and I figured I could just pass him
at the line by maintaining my pace. A few
yards before the line I was just off his right shoulder when he finally saw me coming. The guy took a flying leap and beat me. In doing so he tumbled down a grassy incline
after the finish with me close in tow.
We crashed, skidded, and rolled.
Slowest
mile: mile 7 @ 16:09 (included a quick
pit stop)
Fastest
mile: mile 14 @<6:34 (last mile, I
forgot to stop my Garmin)
2:25:17. 34th of 249.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/92178674
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